


Pilot Season

by nerdgirlwalking



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Roller Derby, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Elopement AU, F/F, F/M, Skyrim AU, blind date au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-08-25
Packaged: 2018-04-02 07:28:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4051507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdgirlwalking/pseuds/nerdgirlwalking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of one shot Nyssara fics and drabbles.<br/>Much like television pilots these random plot bunnies may stay tiny and cute or someday develop into full grown monsters. For now they'll hang out together here so they can stop distracting me from longer things I should be working on instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shark

**Author's Note:**

> So a random scene of Nyssa and Sara at a costume party popped in my head and wouldn't let me concentrate on other stuff until I wrote it down. Here is the result. No Queen's Gambit, no super-heroics, but everybody in silly outfits.  
> If you’re interested in what Nyssa’s outfit looks like after you read (because I don't think I did it justice with my description), just google Castlevania Shanoa.

 

“Ooh la la Laurel,” Sara Lance held up a black corset that was resting on the bottom of her sister’s bed, “You trying to spice things up with Tommy?” Laurel had taken a half day at work so they could go to lunch to celebrate Sara’s new job but of course Laurel was taking her sweet time getting ready. Sara had no idea how her sister avoided constantly being in contempt of court for showing up late, because she seemed to be running behind all the time in her personal life.

 

Laurel smirked, “That’s for you actually.”

 

She dropped the corset like it was covered in anthrax. “Okay ew, I don’t care what kind of indecent proposal your millionaire former man-whore is offering I am not having a three way with my sister.”

 

“You are so gross.”

 

Sara pointed to her chest, “I’m gross? You’re the one buying me lingerie.”

 

“It’s for the party tomorrow.”

 

“What?”

 

Tommy, said former man-whore and Laurel’s boyfriend, was hosting a fundraiser for the local children’s hospital the following evening. “You’re wearing the corset to the party.”

 

“Why?” Did her goods really need to be on display? Sara didn’t think it was that type of fundraiser.

 

“It’s part of the theme,” Laurel held up a pile of fabric, “This is my outfit.”

 

“Why is it that all of Tommy’s party themes cause you to end up dressed like a call girl? I think your boy has a fetish. Have you had Dad check with Vice?”

 

Laurel tossed a pillow at her, “Brat!”

 

“I’m serious how do you know that Tommy has really reformed?” Sara was just trying to get a rise out of her sister. Anyone could see that Tommy Merlyn was head over heels in love with Laurel. His bad boy ways were a thing of the past.

 

“Just wear the corset.” Laurel grumbled, “You need to look hot tomorrow night.”

 

“Please I always look hot,” Sara scoffed. “Wait, why do I need to look hot tomorrow night specifically?”

 

“Well I might have told someone about you,” She stepped into her closet to change into yet another dress.

 

“Laurel!”

 

“What?” She asked as she stuck her head out of the closet. “She’s gorgeous.”

 

Sara flopped down on her sister’s bed, “Laurel I doubt one of your lawyer friends is really my type.”

 

“Don’t make assumptions. Trust me. This woman is perfect for you.” Laurel walked out with a pair of sandals in her hand. She sat on the end of the bed to slip them on.

 

When Sara only rolled her eyes in reply Laurel continued, “She’s only been in town a couple of months. She’s super smart, graduated at the top of her class from Gotham State. She was kind of quiet at first but she’s pretty hilarious once you get her to open up. Oh and she’s a total shark. She sat second chair with me on that racketeering case and completely destroyed Evans on cross.”

 

Sara turned her head to glare at her. “Wow she made some mob guy cry, just who I want to date.”

 

“Please, you and I both know you like a little edge.”

 

“She works with you, how edgy can she possibly be?” Sara shook her head, “Know what? It doesn’t matter because I don’t need you to set me up.”

 

Laurel sighed, “You wanted us to embrace your newfound bisexuality.”

 

“It’s not new.”

 

“It’s new to me and this is me embracing it.” She leaned down and poked her in the ribs. “Let me embrace it Sara.”

 

“Maybe you’re the one with the fetish.”

 

They eventually went and had a fairly nice lunch. Laurel kept talking up this blind date candidate but frankly Sara had tuned her out for most of it and just concentrated on her food. God love her sister but there was only one time their taste in romantic partners had ever overlapped and that had been an unmitigated disaster for everyone involved. No she shook her head as she handed a customer a beer later that evening, she was not letting Laurel pawn one of her stuffy friends off on her.

 

Sara smiled as she discretely checked the time on her cell phone. She had around three hours left on her shift. Tonight was officially her last night as a bartender at Oblivion. She wasn’t being overly productive on her last night on the job either. Sara had been cleaning the same spot on the bar for five minutes. It wasn’t especially dirty. In fact after her constant rubbing it was probably the cleanest spot in the entire bar. No Sara was distracted by a woman who was currently kicking a Phi Kap’s ass at pool at one of the tables across the room.

 

The woman had come in every Tuesday and Thursday for the past month and a half like clockwork. She’d roll in around six and would stay most of the night hustling frat boys at pool. She looked way too classy for this sort of bar even dressed in a t-shirt and insanely tight jeans. It probably helped with the whole pool shark thing.

 

The mystery woman was the real reason Sara wasn’t excited that her sister was trying to set her up. She was like Sara’s dream girl. How could any of Laurel’s friends measure up to her? Long dark hair, a body to die for and her smile, god her smile made Sara’s knees weak. She was perfect. Or at least Sara imagined her to be. She hadn’t exactly had a conversation with her other than to take her order once, “A pint of the best stout you have on tap.” Did Sara mention the woman also had a super sexy accent as well? Per-fec-tion.

 

“I can’t believe you’re leaving,” Sin the other bartender on duty said breaking Sara from her train of thought.

 

“We all have to grow up sometime Sin.”

 

“Being grown up is overrated,” The brunette replied. She looked over towards the pool tables. “Why don’t you go talk to her?”

 

“And say what? Hey I’ve been perving on you for weeks here have a shitty watered down cocktail?”

 

Sin shoved her shoulder, “Bitch I do not water down the drinks.”

 

“You didn’t argue about the quality though.”

 

“Hell no, Doyle only buys cheap booze. Penny pinching jackass.”

 

Sara laughed, “I’m really going to miss you.”

 

“Oh god please don’t get sappy on me. Your mystery lady will get jealous and I am not in the mood for a chick fight.”

 

“You always have to ruin the moment don’t you?”

 

“It’s a gift.”

 

Sara turned her head to look back across the room. The woman was leaning across the table to line up a shot. The position put her ass on glorious display. Sara swallowed as her mouth was suddenly dry. “You really think I should go over there?”

 

“Why the hell not?” Sin shrugged. “It’s your last night if she turns you down then you don’t have to worry about the embarrassment of seeing her again.”

 

“Good point,” Sara nodded. Let’s be real here a woman that gorgeous most likely wasn’t single. So she’d probably turn Sara down. But she should try right? Nothing ventured and all that? She was just about to slide from behind the bar when Doyle, the manager walked up.

 

“Sara, I’ve got your exit paperwork ready to sign.”

 

“Uh do we have to do that now?” She looked back at her dream girl who was now holding out her hand as the Phi Kap slowly counted out a pile of bills into her palm. What if she leaves?

 

“Yes now. I want to get out of here early and your shift still has another three hours,” He gestured towards his office. “Let’s go.”

 

Of course it was just Sara’s luck that the woman was indeed gone when she came out of the back office a half an hour later. “She left fifteen minutes ago,” Sin said knowing who Sara was looking for.

 

“Ugh I hate my life,” Sara groaned.

 

“Buck up girlie, maybe she’ll get in a car wreck or something and you can save her.”

 

“Oh nice.”

 

Sin held up her hands, “Or I could ask for her number when she comes in next week?”

 

“It’s hopeless,” Sara sighed. “It’s like I’m cursed. Every time I worked up the nerve to talk to her something got in the way.”

 

“Maybe it wasn’t meant to be.”

 

“I hate this place,” Sara grumbled and grabbed a broom to sweep up some of the peanut shells from around the bar. If she never saw another peanut shell again it would be too soon.

 

She was in slightly better spirits the next night as she made her way through the costumed crowd filling the ballroom of the Grand Hotel. Once again Tommy had spared no expense to try and pry as much cash as possible from the wallets of the city’s best and brightest for the Starling Children’s Hospital. A DJ was spinning the latest and greatest, booze was flowing from the open bar and there was a huge crowd gathered around the tables of memorabilia for the silent auction that was also being held tonight. Sara was glad she had an in with the host because there was no way she would have been able to spring for the two hundred dollar ticket on her own.

 

She looked around the room but saw no sign of her sister. Not that Sara was in any hurry to meet her date. She adjusted the holster on her hip. This was kind of a random place to have a blind date anyway. Everyone was in costume, how were they supposed to put their best foot forward when they were dressed up like video game characters? Yeah that was Tommy’s brilliant theme, “Let’s Play.” Everyone was supposed to come as their favorite video game star. And more than a few of these guys clearly hadn’t played a game since the nineteen eighties as she had already passed a fleet of Mario Brothers.

 

Well this was worth it if only to see Oliver Queen running around dressed like Link with a bespectacled Princess Zelda on his arm. Damn Felicity Smoak had that boy whipped. Sara discreetly took out her phone to snap a picture. Priceless.

 

She pushed on through the crowd. There near the staircase she saw Tommy dressed in a sleeveless white karate gi. Ryu from Street Fighter, really? Not with those skinny arms dude. Laurel was standing beside him. Sara took a deep breath and headed over to them.

 

“What’s up Tifa you dump Cloud for this loser?” Sara asked when she got close enough. Okay so maybe she had spent a lot of quality time with her playstation as a kid. She didn’t really care for more girly hobbies.

 

“Sara, glad you could make it,” Tommy said pulling her into a hug.

 

“What the hell Sara?” Laurel asked upon seeing her outfit. “What happened to the corset?”

 

“Yeah I wasn’t about to wear that.” She gestured to the red leather vest and faded blue jeans she was wearing. “This is comfortable and sexy.”

 

Laurel rolled her eyes, “You look like you always do except with red hair.”

 

“And a gun,” Sara held up the plastic accessory. Her sister didn’t look impressed. “Hey I sprung for the wig at least, can’t be Claire Redfield without red hair don’t let that one movie fool you.”

 

“The point of a costume party is to not look like yourself,” Laurel huffed. She gestured to her crop top and tiny shorts as an example.

 

“So I’m supposed to impress this woman you set me up with by not being me?” She asked causing Tommy to choke on his drink trying not to laugh.

 

“She’s got you there Laurel,” He said once he recovered. She scowled.

 

Sara laughed, “Look I’m here okay? I’ll talk to the woman but I make no promises.”

 

“That’s reasonable right babe?” Tommy said pulling Laurel into his side.

 

“Fine,” She grumbled, “I’ll come find you when she gets here.” She pointed at Sara. “No sneaking out the back with an emergency. You have to give her an actual chance.”

 

“Fine,” Sara glared.

 

“Come on ladies don’t be grumpy, we’re here for the kids,” Tommy sighed.

 

“Woo hoo,” Sara said. “I’m going to go get my drink on…for the children.” She wandered off towards the bar before they could reply.

 

Ten minutes later she had found a great vantage point just to the left of the massive buffet. Snacks were readily at hand and she could duck behind the giant Donkey Kong shaped ice sculpture if she saw Laurel heading her way. The only drawback was that the bar was on the opposite side of the room but Sara figured she was stealthy enough to make a few covert drink runs when needed.

 

“It’s odd to see you not behind a bar,” A voice whispered in her ear.

 

Sara spun around. Holy crap it was her. “I’d say it’s odd to see you without a pool cue in your hand.” Ha, yes banter. She could do this.

 

“Odd bad?”

 

“No not at all,” She looked the woman up and down. She was wearing a halter style, flowy, blue dress with some type of black chest plate and thigh high black boots. “Oh wow you’re from one of the Castlevanias right?” Sara asked the woman.

 

She laughed. It made Sara actually want to swoon. The woman had a great laugh to match her great everything else. “Yes, it’s a bit childish I admit but I have a fondness for those games. A few good people standing up to monsters, the gothic theme, the music, they were always my favorites.”

 

“Childish? You see how most of the people around here are dressed right?” She gestured towards a man walking past in a full body dinosaur onesie. “You look hot. Uh I mean great. You look really great. You’re great…great.” Oh god she was spazing! Why now of all times did dork Sara have to make an appearance?

 

“You look like you do most of the time I see you.” She gestured towards Sara’s outfit. Okay so maybe Laurel was right Claire Redfield’s look was basically her work attire. “Though you always look lovely.”

 

“Uh thank you.” Sara was sure she was blushing.

 

“We complement each other.”

 

“What?”

 

“Well you kill zombies and I kill vampires…”The woman trailed off awkwardly. Wait was she nervous? If she was nervous did that mean Sara had a shot?

 

Alright girl the hell up Lance! Sara smiled, “You’re right we totally match. We should grab a drink; hang out compare monster slaying notes.”

 

The woman beamed, Sara didn’t think she could look more beautiful. Then she bit her lip and Sara almost passed out. “Dinner perhaps?”

 

“Sounds perfect,” Sara looked around, she didn’t see Laurel. Maybe she could slip away with her crush before her sister showed up to foist some boring lawyer type on her. “There’s an open bar. You want to grab that drink right now?”

 

“I’d love to.” She held her arm out for Sara to take.

 

“Oh my god, you found each other already.” A voice shouted.

 

The woman turned away from Sara. Oh wow that dress was cut low in the back. Jeez she was feeling light headed again. “Hello Laurel,” The woman greeted the newcomer.

 

“Nyssa you look great!” She pulled her into a hug. Her crush and her sister knew each other?

 

“Thank you,” The woman, Nyssa apparently, smiled when Laurel released her. “Thank Tommy for me for the invitation.” She gestured around the room. “This is unlike any fundraiser I’ve ever been to.” She glanced at Sara, “And the company is exquisite.”

 

“I can’t believe you found Sara all on your own.” Nyssa looked confused. Laurel didn’t seem to pick up on it as she turned to her sister, “See and you thought you wouldn’t like her.”

 

“Wait what?”

 

Laurel gestured to Sara’s crush, “Nyssa your blind date?”

 

“Wait she’s who you were trying to hook me up with?” Oh god Laurel had hit the big sister jackpot without even realizing it. Sara was going to have to really splurge on her birthday present this year. She caught a glimpse of Nyssa’s upper thigh through the slit in her dress, and probably the next five years.

 

“Of course that’s why she’s talking to you dummy.” She turned to Nyssa, “Sara gets a little loopy when she drinks. Please don’t hold it against her.”

 

“Of course not,” Nyssa smirked.

 

“Well I’ll leave you girls to it.” She leaned over and hugged Sara. “I expect a thank you tomorrow,” She whispered in her ear before she pulled away. “I’ll see you at work on Monday Nyssa.”

 

“Have a good time Laurel.”

 

“You too.”

 

“So Sara Lance,” She held her hand out to Nyssa. “Former bartender, Laurel’s sister, future paramedic and I’ve been dying to meet you for weeks now.”

 

The other woman took Sara’s hand in hers, “Nyssa Raatko, attorney at law, friend of Laurel’s and apparently I’m the most fortunate woman in the room tonight.”

 

Sara smirked at her, “So why does a lawyer hustle pool in a dive bar full of college kids?”

 

“Because I enjoy it,” Nyssa smiled. She pulled on Sara’s hand and started towards the drink station, “And there was this gorgeous bartender I was attempting to work up the nerve to ask to dinner.”


	2. Skyrim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara the Dragonborn and Felicity her mage follower are on their way to Falkreath to seek assistance from the Dark Brotherhood in their quest to save Skyrim. The welcome they receive is unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if any of you have played Skyrim you’ll see that I tweaked the Dark Brotherhood quest line just a bit to fit this AU (if you haven’t played here be some spoilers). I think Nyssa would make a fine Listener, instead of the Dark Mother you could have a dried up old Ra's mummy, and I mean come on the Dragonborn can shout someone to death if that doesn’t say Canary Cry to you then I don’t even know what to tell you. 
> 
> Also I swear not all of these will have video game ties, I just have E3 on the brain right now I guess.

 

“But they’re like assassins. They kill people.”

 

“We kill people Felicity. We killed five bandits this morning before breakfast. You set one guy’s ass on fire.” Sara shook her head. Just because the Dark Brotherhood killed people didn’t mean they were bad people.

 

“He bent over when you hit him. I wasn’t aiming for that,” The mage replied. She’d never burn someone on purpose there it was just too cruel. A person wouldn’t be able to ride for weeks. Not that that guy or his friends survived. But it served them right, attacking like that before breakfast. No one got between Felicity and her morning sweet roll and lived.

 

Sara smiled, “Well if it was a lucky shot it was a damn hilarious one.” They kept riding past the wooden gates to the hold in silence for a while after that comment.

 

“But seriously why here?” From what Felicity knew of the area there wasn’t much around of interest except for the massive cemetery Falkreath was home to. They were passing the hold so where else was there to go?

 

“There’s a Sanctuary nearby.”

 

“How do you even know that?” Felicity really didn’t think that a secret base for assassins would be common knowledge or on a map.

 

“I had a life before I was tasked with saving the world Felicity.”

 

“One that included assassins?”

 

Sara had grown to love the mage like another sister but Felicity could be rather naive about the world.  Because Sara was acting as a hero now the girl just assumed she had always done so. It was refreshing that Felicity didn’t treat her like what she truly was, the disgraced daughter of Windhelm’s Guard Captain. Though Sara did wonder if the gossip about her around the Jarl’s court had changed as rumors of the Dragonborn spread further across Skyrim. Perhaps one day her father could speak of both of his daughters with pride once again.

 

She glanced at Felicity who was apparently waiting for an answer. “After I left Windhelm I made all sorts of interesting friends. Some of them might have been assassins.” She left out the part that she was one as well actually. Sara didn’t think the other girl was ready to hear that.

 

“By Talos!”

 

 “Yep.”

 

Again they rode in silence for a bit until Felicity could no longer help herself. “So this assassin friend of yours is he nice?”

 

“He’s a she.”

 

“Oh, is she nice then?”

 

“She is to me,” Sara smiled, quite nice indeed.

 

“You really think she’ll help us?”

 

The Listener was far more than just a friend; well Sara hoped that she was still. She was really, really late for this meeting. She had a feeling that The Listener was going to be quite angry.  Yet Sara didn’t think she’d let her down if Sara asked for her help no matter how cross she was with her erstwhile lover. “She will. And trust me she has a whole network of contacts, if anyone can get us some new information on the scroll it’s her.”

 

The first man attacked as they came over the rise. An arrow missed Felicity’s face by inches. Sara threw a dagger hitting just under the chinstrap of his helmet. Sara leapt from her horse and began running the rest of the way down the hill before his head hit the ground.

 

Two additional men fell to her swords before she reached the clearing containing the entrance to the Sanctuary. She couldn’t believe the imperials found them. This Sanctuary was one of the most closely guarded secrets in Skyrim. How could they possibly have known it was here? Her line of thought was broken when she heard Felicity call out a warning. Sara dropped to the dirt as a blast of magic sailed over her and hit the man who was about to leap out at her from the brush to her left. Felicity’s attack knocked him flat on to his back.

 

“Go!” Felicity yelled at her. “I’ve got this one.”

 

Sara sprung back up and ran for the door. The carved stone edifice stood open. Smoke billowed out and into the sky. “Divines no!” Sara swore. She stopped at the top of the stairs leading down into the Sanctuary proper.

 

Three imperials were coming up the stairs laughing as they waved large sacks no doubt full of looted items around. Oh you lot think this is funny? Sara took a deep breath and planted her feet. The men noticed her standing above them blocking their path. “Hey you. What are you doing here?” One of them yelled to her.

 

“Fus!” With the repetition of the ancient word the power of Sara’s voice alone created enough force to send the three men toppling back down the stone staircase. She could tell by the way they landed that two of them would never rise again. The third met his end at the tip of one of her swords as she rushed down and into the Sanctuary.

 

The first room she entered seemed to be a small meeting space. There was a map of Skyrim still laid out on a table, a jug of wine pinning one corner down. She didn’t see or hear anyone here. The smoke stung her eyes but she pressed on. She checked the small bedroom just off to the side but there was nothing in it but flames. She turned and made her way towards a staircase on the opposite side of the room from where she had entered the Sanctuary. Maybe there was still someone alive down there.

 

She heard Felicity calling her name. “I’m fine,” She yelled back to the mage. “See if you can do anything about these fires.”

 

The next room was more like a cavern. Another imperial soldier at the base of these stairs turned just in time to see the knife she threw hit him in the chest. She ran past his still twitching body. To her left she saw a woman in Brotherhood colors lying on the stone floor.

 

Sara knelt down beside the injured woman. Her armor, what little of it that had not been burned, was clearly that of someone of rank. This must be Astrid, the leader of this Sanctuary.

 

“Who?” She choked out.

 

“You would know me as The Canary, sister.”

 

Astrid coughed, “I thought she made you up.”

 

“Where is she? Astrid, where’s the Listener?”

 

“Gone they’re all gone. I did this. I killed them all, because I didn’t want things to change.” She coughed. “So sorry, I am so very sorry.”

 

“Shhh don’t talk.” Sara turned to glance over her shoulder, “Felicity I need you over here!” She looked back at Astrid. “My friend’s a mage. She can heal you.”

 

“It’s too much.” She shook her head, “I deserve this.” She pressed the hilt of the sword she held into Sara’s hand. “Let me meet my end.” Sara looked at the sword and frowned. “Please.”

 

Sara nodded and raised the sword. “Thank you,” Astrid said with a small smile on her face. Sara brought the blade down. She stood and turned away from Astrid’s body. It looked like Felicity had managed to get most of the remaining fires under control.

 

“Did you see anyone else?”

 

“No one living,” Felicity shook her head. “I’m sorry Sara.”

 

Once they were sure that there were no more imperials lurking about outside, she sent Felicity back to the hold to get the priest from the Hall of the Dead. Her brothers and sisters deserved a proper burial. Sara went from room to room avoiding smoldering piles of debris and looked around on the off chance that Felicity had somehow missed a survivor. However, all she found were bodies. Some imperials, and fewer still of the Brotherhood, then there were some so badly burned she could not determine which side they had fought on.

 

She found it in one of the upper rooms. Lying among the ashes, a familiar signet ring. Her heart sank at the sight of it. The ring was made of obsidian, with a carved visage of a snarling demonic face. Memories flooded her mind of the cool stone against her skin as elegant fingers trailed against her belly and down her thighs. The way it felt against her fingers as they entwined with another’s. Kissing the hand that typically wore it while promising to meet the Listener here in a month’s time the morning she had begun her journey back to Skyrim.

 

“She never would have left this.” The ring had been passed down through several generations. Sara choked back a sob. Damn it. She should have come here sooner. Maybe she could have done something to stop all this.

 

She didn’t realize how much time had passed as she crouched there in the ruins. Felicity found her there crying clutching the ring in her fist. “Sara?”

 

She looked up at her friend. She opened her mouth to explain but couldn’t find the words.

 

Somehow Felicity knew. “I’ve brought the priest. He rounded up a couple of men from the hold.” She took Sara’s arm and helped her to stand. “How about we go back down to the main chamber and see if they need any help? If not we can go and book a room at the inn in Falkreath huh?”

 

Sara nodded. There was nothing left for her here.

 

Months passed and Sara continued on as best she could. All of Tamriel was depending on her even if she felt like her heart and soul were gone. Felicity tried to comfort her but often didn’t know quite what to say. Really there were no words to make this ache go away.

 

They had been moving north for a few weeks in route to yet another fabled ancient ruin when trouble struck once again. The dragon had appeared out of nowhere. Thank Talos they had stopped in Dawnstar for supplies. The city guards were woefully unprepared. Sara glanced over at the bodies of the three guards who attempted to challenge the beast. Poor bastards. She thought of her father in Windhelm. She hoped his men were better equipped for such attacks.

 

Sara ducked under a massive wing and stabbed one of her swords up into the joint where it met the beast’s side. A large shard of ice zipped by her head and impaled the dragon in the same spot. “Nice hit Felicity,” She called. She heard a shrill squeak in reply as Felicity ducked away from the jet of flame the beast sent her way in retaliation.

 

That moment’s distraction was all it took. Suddenly she was locked in the jaws of the great beast. Divines that hurt. A crunch, teeth clamped down on her armor. Thankfully the dragonscale she wore kept her mostly protected. No puncture wounds. Though she was fairly sure her ribs had been crushed. The beast shook its head as a wave of cold slammed into its side. Felicity. Then Sara was sailing through the air and crashing into the ground.

 

She coughed and spat blood into the dirt. Ribs were definitely broken, which meant she couldn’t breathe deeply enough to shout. Just great. She rolled on to a knee. Every nerve screamed from the movement but she had to get up before the dragon decided to try another bite of her.

 

Her swords were gone. She drew her small backup dagger from her boot. The ebony blade was a gift from long ago. Its familiar weight was a small comfort in her hand. She managed to stand up. The beast had rounded on her once again. Sara prepared to roll underneath it in a last desperate attempt to strike at its underbelly when a red and black arrow imbedded itself in the creature’s left eye. Two more soon joined it.

 

The dragon slumped over on its side finally dead. Sara felt the warmth of its soul being absorbed by her body. This whole Dragonborn thing was still a little weird even after all these months on the road.  She fell to her knees, exhausted. Oh she was going to be feeling this fight for a few days.

 

“Sara,” Felicity cried out. “Sara hold on I’m coming.” She could see the mage’s mop of wild blonde hair moving about on the other side of the dragon’s carcass.

 

Sara was able to hold her arm up in acknowledgement. But her eyes were locked on the red and black arrows. She only knew of one person who used fletching with that pattern. But the imperials had raided the Sanctuary. She was gone. Maybe Sara had hit her head harder than she thought when the dragon threw her. Her vision was getting a little dim. Perhaps she’d just close her eyes for a moment.

 

She woke up in an unfamiliar room. It was very dark. A single candle sitting on a low table next to the bed only gave off enough light for Sara to see the area a few feet from her. Where was she? Had they been captured? The bed was awfully soft so this was probably not a prison.

 

Sara stretched. No pain. Either she was still dreaming or Felicity had found a whole gaggle of mages to heal her wounds. Speaking of, she looked around again but saw no sign of her friend.

 

“She’s safe, resting in a room just down the hall,” A voice whispered from the darkness. “Awfully talkative that one. You and she have had quite the adventure.”

 

“Am I dead?”

 

“Not just yet. But you should lay back, you are healed but your body suffered a trauma that was near death. You still require rest.”

 

“I thought you were. Dead that is.”

 

“Not just yet Beloved.” Nyssa al Ghul, Listener of the Dark Brotherhood stepped into the light. “You’re late.”

 

Sara smiled widely, “You’re gorgeous.”

 

“Yes, you would do well to flatter me after causing so much worry,” Nyssa scoffed.

 

“I didn’t mean to,” Sara swore. “I was going to meet you at the Sanctuary as promised but then I got captured, almost executed, summoned to the top of the tallest mountain ever by a bunch of mystic old guys, told I’m part dragon, and oh yeah I’m apparently supposed to save the world.”

 

“So you’ve been busy.”

 

“Little bit.”

 

“Too busy to keep your promises to me?”

 

“No,” Sara shook her head. “I went to Falkreath but by the time I got there the imperials had raided the place. All I found was fire and bodies. Astrid said everyone was gone.”

 

“I had departed from Falkreath about a fortnight before the raid to begin establishing our foothold here. I was supposed to return but a storm that came in off the coast delayed me. Babette and Nazir escaped the imperials at the Sanctuary and sought me out after the attack.” Nyssa frowned, “Astrid betrayed us all just because she was afraid to give up her power.”

 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there sooner.”

 

“I’m not. It is likely you would have perished in the raid as well.” Nyssa closed her eyes at the thought of it. She had feared Sara’s death for months now. Ever since the girl had failed to arrive at the Sanctuary at the appointed time Nyssa thought that either Sara had abandoned her to rejoin her family tired of her life of darkness, or that simply she had been captured and executed. She hadn’t known which thought was more troubling.

 

When she had crested the low rise near Dawnstar days ago to encounter a dragon and the two fools who were taking it on alone she had acted immediately, firing into the beast’s eye. She had smiled in satisfaction when the dragon fell. That feeling turned to cold dread the moment the blonde, Felicity, had screamed her Beloved’s name. Sara’s wounds had been grave.

 

“Hey,” Sara reached out and grabbed her hand. “I’m not that easy to kill.”

 

“I suppose not. Rumors of the mighty Dragonborn have reached even my ears.”

 

“Oh mighty,” Sara waggled her eyebrows. “Impressed?”

 

Nyssa laughed, “I was impressed when a half-starved Nord attacked the guards in Bravil because she thought they were attempting to assault me.” She brushed some hair away from Sara’s eyes with her free hand.

 

The blonde smiled, “That was really impressive.”

 

“Quite,” Nyssa leaned over and kissed her. Sara wound her fingers into the dark waves of Nyssa’s hair and pulled her closer. Things soon became heated after so much time apart.

 

“Wait where is my pack?” Sara mumbled pulling away.

 

“Can’t that wait?” They were sort of in the middle of something.

 

“It’s important Nyssa.”

 

She sighed, “Very well.” Nyssa moved away from the bed and stepped back into the shadows. She returned a moment later with Sara’s pack in her hand. She struggled a bit with its weight. “What do you have in here dragon bones?”

 

“Front pocket,” Sara directed her.

 

Nyssa reached into the bag and felt a silken bundle, “What is this?”

 

“Open it.”

 

She did as instructed unwrapping the bundle to find a familiar signet ring, “You dropped something,” Sara noted. “Finding that thing just lying there in the ashes scared the crap out of me.”

 

Nyssa slipped the ring into the pocket of her robes. “It’s not mine,” She held up her hand so Sara could see a similar ring resting on her finger.

 

“Someone copied your house sigil?”

 

Nyssa shook her head and climbed beside Sara on the bed. “No Beloved, at least not for the reasons you are thinking.”

 

Sara tilted her head in confusion.

 

“It’s for you.”

 

“Why would someone make a copy of your signet ring for me? Oh…”

 

“You are very late.”

 

“Too late?”

 

Nyssa leaned over and kissed her, “Of course not.”

 

Sara reluctantly pulled away, “Even if I tell you I have to stop a giant dragon from destroying the world first?”

 

Nyssa stared at her for a long moment, “Exactly how large is this dragon we have to kill?”

 

“We?”

 

“I just got you back and stated my intentions to bind my soul with yours forever.”

 

“Actually you just took the ring back so…”

 

“So yes we. There isn’t enough healing magic in Tamriel to keep you going if I leave you and that mage to your own devices. She’s already set the tapestry around her bed on fire twice. Unless your Felicity also has the power to talk a dragon to death I suspect you’ll have need of me.”

 

“I love you.”

 

Nyssa smiled, “I love you as well Sara.”

 

She tucked herself into the other woman’s side. “I’m really surprised the giant dragon thing wasn’t a deal breaker.”

 

Nyssa kissed the crown of her head. “You manage with my family of assassins; I manage with your giant dragons. It’s rather like we’re already wed.”

 

“And you haven’t even met my sister yet. The most shocking thing about this entire story is that she’s not the one who’s part dragon. It feels like Laurel can breathe fire when she’s angry.”

 

“We’ll worry about her after the actual dragon Beloved.”


	3. Father of the Bride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quentin's little girl has been working abroad for the past few years. She's coming home today and she's not alone. Just who is this guy Sara up and married?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I told my friend Syd that I’d write her something for her birthday and she gave me three topics to choose from. Then I sat down to write and this is not any of those three things…I’m a terrible gift giver apparently. But I did say I’d post something for her birthday so I will at least honor that promise, here ya go Syd. It’s kind of odd and silly like me! Hope you have a great day!

 

“Can you believe this?” Quentin Lance asked his eldest. They were putting the finishing touches on a welcome home party for his youngest daughter Sara. “We’ve spent all day throwing together this dinner and I still can’t wrap my mind around this whole thing.”

 

“Typical Sara,” Laurel chuckled. “At least she’s not coming back with a baby.”

 

“Don’t even put that thought into the air Laurel,” He shook his head. “What if that’s why?”

 

“A shotgun wedding? Doesn’t the girl’s family typically instigate those? I don’t recall planning or even being invited to the wedding.”

 

“Yeah well your mother is still pissed off about that.”

 

Laurel frowned, “So she’s not coming?”

 

Quentin just shook his head. He was upset too but Sara had been overseas for years. He didn’t understand why Dinah couldn’t just suck it up and have some pot roast with the girl for one night after such a long absence. They could always yell at her about this wedding thing later.

 

“Has she told you anything about this guy?” He changed the subject.

 

Laurel shrugged, “Just that she’s happy.”

 

“I never should have let her out of my sight.”

 

“Dad you know working abroad was the best option at the time. Sara was failing college; she wasn’t taking your and Mom’s divorce well, on top of all that she and I were fighting because of that weirdness with Oliver Queen...”

 

“Can I just say thank god you finally wised up about that prick?”

 

“Dad, Oliver has apologized repeatedly.” Laurel hopped up to sit on the counter. They had had this conversation at least once a month since Oliver and Laurel’s on again off again thing had ended for good a few years ago. “He really has grown up since his dad died. I’d even call him my friend these days; there is absolutely no reason for you to be angry at him anymore.”

 

“I’m your father I am allowed to hate any knucklehead that doesn’t treat my little girl right until the end of time. And that prick messed with both of my girls.”

 

Laurel sighed; he was never going to let that go. “Am I going to have to keep the two of you separated tonight?”

 

He held up his hands, “I can behave myself as long as Queen does.”

 

“Well from the sound of it Sara’s guy would kick the crap out of Oliver if he ever tried anything with Sara again anyway. So I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.”

 

Quentin opened the oven to check on his pot roast, “That might be the only point the guy has in his favor.”

 

“So what else do we know about my new brother in law?”

 

Quentin groaned at the title.

 

Laurel laughed from her perch on the kitchen counter, “Okay I’ll start; Sara told me they met a couple years ago when his company was doing security for the medical supply transports she was working on. So he has a job.”

 

“A dangerous one.”

 

Laurel rolled her eyes, “You have a dangerous job.”

 

“We aren’t talking about me.” Quentin swatted her with a dishtowel. “We have chairs for sitting, get off the counter, that hasn’t been cute since you were twelve.”

 

Laurel hopped down and walked over to the fridge to grab a drink. “I’m just pointing out your hypocrisy Dad. You can’t try that argument when Sara gets here, she’ll rip it and you apart.” Laurel leaned into the fridge to reach for a can of soda in the very back. “Has she told you anything else?”

 

“Other than ‘Hi Dad, don’t worry about getting my room ready for when I come home because I’m married and we bought a house?’ No.”

 

Laurel turned so quickly to face Quentin after that statement that she hit her head on the refrigerator door, “Oh damn!” She rubbed the now tender spot on her forehead. “What do you mean they bought a house?”

 

“Sara didn’t tell you?”

 

“No!”

 

“Technically, it’s not a house. It’s that old clock tower downtown. Apparently Sara told the guy how much she loved the place as a kid and he went and bought it as a wedding gift so they could renovate it together.”

 

“Are you kidding me?”

 

“Nah, I did a little digging. The place did sell recently in a private auction.”

 

“That had to have cost a bundle. So this guy has some serious cash.”

 

Before Quentin could say anything the doorbell rang. He walked to the front room and opened the door to a smiling Felicity Smoak and a sheepish Oliver Queen. “Hi Detective Lance!” The blonde greeted. “Wow we got here just in time it looks like the bottom could fall out any second.”

 

“Hello Felicity,” Quentin replied. “Queen.”

 

“Detective Lance,” Oliver nodded. He held up the box in his arms. “We brought a case of sparkling cider from the club, to toast the newlyweds.”

 

“Totally my idea,” Thea Queen stated. Quentin shook his head. When did she show up? Why did she show up?

 

“Oh and we have cake,” Felicity added, “Can’t have a party without cake.”

 

“You can, trust me Felicity. I have been to several,” Thea said shaking her head at the blonde.

 

“But this is like a mini-wedding reception slash welcome home party, which begs for cake.”

 

“Did someone say cake?” Laurel asked joining everyone in the front room. “And why is everyone hanging out here?”

 

“Well my brother and his nerdy girlfriend are sort of blocking the door,” Thea answered. “And yes there’s cake Roy and Diggle are bringing it in.”

 

“Roy? Diggle? Sara doesn’t even know these people.” Hell he barely knew them. Well he knew Harper’s rap sheet fairly intimately.

 

“Dad, most of the people Sara hung out with from before are gone. It won’t hurt for her to meet some new people and besides they brought cake.”

 

“A big ass cake, which is heavy so can you all move it?” Roy Harper said as he and John Diggle came up the sidewalk. They were carefully balancing a huge chocolate sheet cake between them. Quentin was sure it would cover half of his dining room table. He supposed they could eat in the living room.

 

“How many people did you think were coming?”

 

Felicity shrugged, “I have an inner fat kid and this is the best triple fudge miracle cake in the city. You did say Sara liked chocolate right?” Laurel nodded.  She took Laurel by the elbow and started walking towards the kitchen, “Trust me it will get eaten.” Oliver shrugged and followed them so he could put the cider on ice.

 

Quentin closed the door and followed them. “So Queen,” He began as he entered his kitchen where everyone else had gathered. “What do you know about this guy Sara’s hooked up with?” He knew Sara had kept in touch with him for some odd reason. Maybe she had told him something useful.

 

Oliver shook his head, “Not much.”

 

“He’s well-traveled,” Felicity spoke up. “Sara’s always posting pictures from where they go on Instagram.”

 

“Insta-what?”

 

“God you’re old,” Thea mumbled. Everyone except Quentin laughed. Her eyes widened when she realized she said that out loud. “Uh in a good way?”

 

“I should have let you spend the night in lockup that time you crashed your car when you were wasted.”

 

“But then she wouldn’t have met me,” Roy joked.

 

“You’re right Harper that would have been doing her a favor. Never mind.”

 

“Anyway,” Laurel interrupted before Roy and her dad could get started, “She has an Instagram? I didn’t know that. Are there any pictures of her mystery man?”

 

Felicity shook her head, “I think he’s the one that takes the pictures.” She opened an app on her phone. “Sara’s alone in like ninety nine percent of them.”

 

“Awe that’s kind of cute.”

 

“Or creepy,” Thea supplied. “What if the guy’s like a stalker? Or worse butt ugly?”

 

“How is being ugly worse?” Felicity frowned.

 

Roy tilted his head in thought, “Can you stalk someone you’re married to?”

 

“I don’t know,” Oliver smirked, “Digg you’ve been married. What do you think?”

 

Diggle held up his hands, “Man leave me out of that one.”

 

“How did you know Sara had an Instagram and I didn’t?” Laurel asked.

 

“Because she’s on the computer all day,” Thea supplied.

 

“Sara and I follow each other on twitter and she linked some pictures.”

 

“She doesn’t follow me on twitter.”

 

“Maybe that’s because all you tweet about is legal crap and the new boxing instructor at your gym.”

 

“Seriously who invited you?”

 

“You know you love me Laurel. I’m like the annoying little sister you already had except you can send me home when I get too annoying. Also I’m hot, who wouldn’t want me around?”

 

Laurel shook her head. Thea was still a little crazy sometimes. She looked back to Felicity, “Anyway are you sure Sara’s guy isn’t in any of those pictures?”

 

Felicity shook her head, “I don’t remember seeing any guys at all in the pictures.” She scrolled through a few of the images on her phone. “Sara, a sunset, or is that a sunrise?” Felicity tilted the phone as if that would make a difference. After a moment she shook her head and kept scrolling, “A monkey, Sara again, some type of temple, Sara in a bikini…”

 

“Hey forward that one to me,” Roy said without thinking.

 

“I have several guns in this house son,” Quentin growled at him.

 

“And I have knives within reach Roy,” Thea added. Oliver just glared at him. Diggle was kind enough only to smirk at the kid’s misfortune.

 

“Kidding?” Roy gulped.

 

Felicity ignored them, “Sara and a monkey, Sara and some woman…”

 

“One of her friends from the Red Cross, maybe,” Quentin guessed. “There was some woman she’d mentioned a couple of times on the phone. Natalia, Nadiya, it was an N something…”

 

“They’re hugging in this picture and Sara’s kissing her cheek in the next one so you’re probably right.”

 

“It’s nice Sara made some friends.”

 

“Sara making friends was never the problem Dad. It was the type of friends she made.”

 

Quentin looked over at Oliver, “True.”

 

“Is that why you’re so worried about this guy?” Oliver asked.

 

Laurel nodded, “It’s just a little weird that Sara suddenly announces that she’s eloped and is moving home in one fell swoop. She’s never even mentioned a boyfriend the entire time she’s been away.”

 

“Why? It sounds exactly like something Sara would do,” He shrugged. “She’s always been impulsive. But Sara’s grown up a lot since she’s been overseas; I doubt she’d marry some jerk or someone she barely knew.”

 

“I just wish we knew more about him.”

 

“Isn’t that what tonight is about?” Diggle asked. “Welcoming the guy into the family, letting him get to know all of you a little better, while you do the same?”

 

“Doesn’t explain why you’re here Digg,” Roy remarked.

 

Diggle pointed to his chest, “Bodyguard.” He nodded to Oliver, “I go where he goes. We spent four hours at a computer store yesterday.”

 

“That was my bad,” Felicity spoke up.

 

“You’re right Diggle,” Laurel nodded. She felt a little guilty about the conversation they were having earlier now. “We just need to suck it up and give this guy a chance for Sara’s sake. He can’t be all that bad; he did agree to move to Starling City for her.”

 

“And he bought her a clock tower!” Felicity added.

 

“Seriously? Am I the only one who didn’t know about that?”

 

“Pretty much,” Oliver shrugged. Sara had sent him a message asking about general contractors that had worked with Queen Consolidated just the other day.

 

“Do you ever read your timeline on twitter between comments on that boxer’s abs?” Thea asked. Sara had been ecstatic about her new home. Everything was all caps for a solid twenty four hours. For a cop and a lawyer the Lances sure failed to pick up on a lot.

 

“All right who is this guy? Why the interest in his abs?” Quentin grumbled.

 

“What was it you said about going home once you got too annoying Thea?” Laurel glared at her.

 

“Hey you don’t want it known don’t put it on twitter.”

 

“True dat,” Felicity said holding her fist out for Thea to bump.

 

“Okay no,” Thea shook her head, “Don’t say that again. Put your hand down, no.”

 

The doorbell rang in three short bursts. Laurel smiled. Sara had been ringing it that way since they were kids. She used to misplace her house key and get locked out all of the time. It was so good to hear again, “They’re here.”

 

“Oh are we hiding? Is this a surprise? Are we surprises? Does Sara like surprises, well I guess she does I mean the wedding was already a surprise.”

 

“Felicity, you’re rambling,” Oliver pulled her against his side and kissed her temple to calm her down. “I think Laurel told her we’d be here.”

 

“Yep,” Laurel nodded. She looked over at Quentin who was looking a little green. “How about you go get the door Dad and we’ll get the rest of the food set up?”

 

“Yeah,” Quentin nodded; grateful to his eldest for understanding he’d need a minute. “Thanks Laurel.”

 

He took a deep breath once he got to the door. He could see a faint outline through the glass. “Here we go,” He mumbled and pulled the door open.

 

“Dad!” Sara cried once she saw him. She tackled him in a hug.

 

“Sara,” He squeezed her tightly. God she looked so grown up. “Welcome home baby girl.”

 

She stepped back with a smile. “It is so good to see you.” She looked down at his shirt. “Oh sorry I got you a little wet.” She shrugged out of her jacket and turned to hang it up. “It’s starting to rain out there.”

 

Quentin glanced around the porch. He didn’t see anyone else or a car for that matter. “So where’s…” He began.

 

“Oh parking the car. We had to go down to the end of the block; your driveway was kind of full. But it started raining and I had a little cold last week so Nys…”

 

“You were sick? Are you okay? Did you go see a doctor?”

 

Sara laughed and hugged him again. “I really missed you Dad.”

 

He kissed the top of her head, “I missed you too baby girl.”

 

“Okay quit hogging her,” Laurel cried.

 

“Laurel!” Sara cheered letting her father go to pull her sister into a bone crushing hug.

 

“Jeez Sara have you been working out?”

 

“Little bit. Martial arts are sort of our thing. Like couples bonding? Actually, we were thinking about opening up a dojo in town since…hold up is that Thea Queen?”

 

“Sara,” Thea shrieked from the living room. Sara let go of Laurel and went to go hug Thea.

 

Laurel bumped Quentin with her hip, “She looks great.”

 

“She does.”

 

“Very happy. She’s practically glowing Dad.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Maybe this marriage isn’t a bad thing.” Laurel smiled as she watched Sara and Felicity hug. You’d think they had known each other before by the way they were acting. This was good, Felicity was a sweetheart she’d be a good friend to Sara. Hell she’d done a world of good for Oliver already.

 

“Maybe,” Quentin replied. Sara really did look happy. Anything that put such a big smile on his little girl’s face couldn’t be that bad could it?

 

“Ahem,” someone cleared their throat behind them.

 

Quentin and Laurel turned to see a dark haired woman standing just inside the doorway.  “Can we help you?”

 

“Ah yes,” The woman began. Her posture was quite rigid, as if she was expecting an attack.

 

“Nyssa!” Sara cried. She quickly rushed across the room to pull the woman into the house. The woman visibly relaxed once Sara’s hand was on her arm. “God where did you have to park? You’re all wet and not in the good way.” The woman beamed at Sara while she fussed over her.

 

“I think that’s Sara’s friend from the pictures,” Felicity tried to whisper but everyone still heard her.

 

“Any pictures of her in a bikini? Better yet both of them in bikinis together?” Roy asked. Oliver slapped him on the back of the head.

 

“Man you are just a pretty face,” Diggle remarked, shaking his head.

 

Laurel heard Thea choking on her drink. She looked at her dad who had a puzzled frown on his face. Well at least they were all confused.

 

“It wasn’t that far. A little water isn’t going to harm me,” The woman said as Sara helped her out of her coat.

 

Sara turned and hung the coat up next to hers on the coat tree to dry. “Uh huh that’s what I tried to say last week when I wanted to go for a walk in the rain.” She turned back around to face the woman hands on her hips, “You shot that idea down real quick.”

 

“You had a cold Habibti. The damp could have made it grow worse.”

 

“How many people have actually gotten sick from walking in the rain? I think that’s just an old wives tale.”

 

The woman smiled sweetly at Sara, “I have yet to understand why you wished to do it in the first place.”

 

“I love the rain. Besides we’ve been working in a desert for months. Who wouldn’t want to go play in the rain at the first opportunity after that?”

 

“Um hey,” Laurel interrupted them, “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

 

“Oh god I’m an idiot,” Sara laughed. “Sorry, Nyssa this is my sister Laurel, and my Dad, Quentin.”

 

“A pleasure,” The woman said holding out her hand for Quentin to shake. “Sara’s told me so much about you both.”

 

“Dad, Laurel, this is Nyssa Raatko…my wife.”

 

“I’m sorry what?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Okay so they’re very, very good friends,” Felicity told Oliver.

 

“Damn she’s your wife? Congrats on tying down that face for life Sara!” That comment of course came from Thea. Roy nodded his agreement.

 

Diggle just looked like he wanted to laugh at everyone.

 

“Um Dad, are you okay?” Sara asked nervously.

 

Quentin shook his head, “What? I’m fine. This is fine. Your wife is fine.”

 

“Hell yeah she is,” Again Thea commented.

 

“I mean she’s great. You have a wife and that’s great.” He pumped Nyssa’s hand a couple of times in an overly exuberant handshake and then let go. “How do you feel about pot roast Nyssa?”

 

“I’ve not had much opportunity to sample it but am looking forward to the experience based on Sara’s stories, sir.”

 

“Good, good.” Quentin put his arm behind her back and guided her further into the house. “So you were a defense contractor?”

 

“Ah yes sir my father actually owns the company. We regularly volunteer to work pro bono with various aid organizations…”

 

The rest of the group followed the pair into the kitchen. They couldn’t tell who was freaking out more Quentin or Sara’s surprise wife. There was no way they were going to miss a minute of this show.

 

Laurel turned to Sara, “Wife?”

 

“Yeah,” She blushed.

 

“Is that legal?”

 

“She has dual citizenship in the UK and Russia. We got married in London.” Sara looked down at her feet. “We were thinking you could help us with the right paperwork to get some legal recognition here?”

 

Laurel smiled, “Of course.”

 

“Thanks Laurel.” Sara took a deep breath. “You think Dad’s done internally freaking out yet?”

 

“Not a chance.” She smirked, “What about your wife?”

 

“We should probably go make sure she doesn’t get her hands on anything sharp. If Thea’s boyfriend says anything else about bikinis,” Sara gulped, “She’s sort of got a short fuse about those kinds of comments. Especially if someone makes them about me.”

 

Laurel wrapped her arm around Sara’s waist to walk towards the kitchen, “You know I think Dad might like her more if she stabbed Roy.”

 

“We can always save that as our backup plan if dinner doesn’t go well.”


	4. In A Jam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's championship time at the Starling City Roller Derby. The Canary has a bit of a dilemma though as the Birds of Prey are up against last year's champs The Assassins and their Captain, The Demon, who Sara might just be sleeping with. Not that anybody knows about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was chatting on Twitter with my favorite chicken Mo and she mentioned a Roller Derby AU (which she should still totally write hers. The derby names she could come up with alone would be so worth it). Then the other day I was watching Whip It and my brain just wouldn't let the idea go. So here we are with another Pilot Season Installment. Hope I did your idea a little justice Mo and seriously you still need to write your version!

 

 

Sara was kind of embarrassed to admit she started as a fan girl.  A bunch of women in leather had rolled into Oblivion one night during her shift and asked if they could leave some fliers. Sara as the manager on duty had agreed right away before even looking to see what the fliers were for. She had a slight weakness for women in leather okay?

That flier had led her the next day to a warehouse on the edge of the Glades where an arena of sorts had been constructed. That flier had opened her eyes to destiny. Okay that sounded really dramatic but seriously the first time she saw the track, the lights, the fights, and well her; Sara knew she had found where she was supposed to be.

Sara watched her first derby that night. The Dark Knights had come in from Gotham to skate an exhibition against the Starling City champions, the Assassins. There was a lot to look at: the crazy costumes, the athleticism it took to pull of some of the moves the girls did backwards and on roller skates, the fights that broke out. The fights were really impressive; apparently there was some bad blood between the two teams. It was a blur of color, and sound, and life.

But Sara’s eyes kept going back to her, the captain of the Assassins, the Demon. If that is what a demon looked like then Sara was ready to sell her soul. The dark haired woman was taller than most on the track but she moved with a grace that was unexpected especially when people were getting clotheslined around her. She moved through the crowd as if everyone else was standing still. Sara was in absolute awe of her. It also didn’t hurt that the woman was incredibly gorgeous. The tiny uniform she wore left just enough to the imagination while showing off a body that promised a wealth of possibilities.

So you might say she was smitten from the jump.

Sara had signed up for tryouts the next day. She’s honest enough to admit that she was astonished when she landed a spot on the Birds of Prey. That’s where she met the women who would become her best friends besides her sister. To everyone’s surprise, even with having barely skated in her life, Sara was a natural jammer. She was quick on her feet and able to spot openings in opposing teams’ defenses easily. In Sara’s first year on the team the Birds finished three spaces higher than they had the previous season, their highest finish ever.

But the following season was when the magic happened. First of all the Birds acquired a new coach, Felicity Smoak. Felicity, like Sara, was a natural. Oh she couldn’t skate to save her life but she had a knack for strategy. Then Sara’s sister Laurel moved back to town. She tagged along with Sara to a practice just to see what this sport her sister had droned on and on about over the phone was all about. She snuck into tryouts the next week. With Felicity calling the plays and the Lance sisters’ ability on skates the Birds began to really fly.

Here they were getting ready to skate in the championship bout. Sara was in the tunnel waiting with the rest of the team to be announced. The League thanks to a generous donation from their new sponsor Oliver Queen, could afford to go all out with the theatricality for the last match of the season. Laurel was standing across from her grumbling about already having a run in her fishnets. Sin, who was probably Sara’s best friend on the team, leaned on the wall beside her.

“You okay?” The younger girl asked.

Sara adjusted her corset for the fifth time since coming out of the locker room, “Yeah why?”

“You’re fidgety.”

“Nerves, it is the championship you know?” Sara shrugged her off.

“You look more nervous than that,” Sin replied. “Afraid you’ll embarrass yourself in front of Raatko again?”

She frowned, “It really sucks that I always seem to get jacked up when we skate against her.” The first and only time she had a chance to go head to head with the Demon last season she got food poisoning from some bad egg rolls and threw up on the track. Their first match up this season Sara tripped on an untied shoe lace, face-planted, and gave herself a concussion before the bout even started. The second time around Sara made it on to the track but got into it with the Huntress half way through and managed to get herself ejected from the game.

“Think she worked some demonic voodoo on you?” Sin chuckled.

Oh she worked a spell on me alright. Sara swallowed. “They call her the Demon she probably knows all sorts of black magic.” Like that trick she can do with her tongue. Sara clenched her thighs. She couldn’t think about that sort of thing right now. One tiny detail Sin didn’t know about, Sara and the Demon they were kind of sort of friends with benefits

Yeah Sara was literally sleeping with the enemy.

“Try to wait until after we win to have your typical accident around her okay?” Sin said breaking her train of thought. She patted Sara on the shoulder as moved towards the front of the tunnel to make her entrance. “We need you in one piece if we’re gonna have a shot at winning this.”

As soon as Cisco, one of the two announcers, was finished with Sin’s intro Sara glided out on to the track. “Lucky number thirteen, the captain, flying by you right now here’s the Canary!”

“The Canary was last season’s Rookie of the Year and she’s only improved upon her stats this year,” Barry the other announcer informed the crowd.

“I’d let her into my coal mine anytime.”

“What does that even mean?”

“And here comes the sequel, number two, this season’s Rookie of the Year, the Black Canary!” He turned to look at Barry, “Isn’t she the older sister? Shouldn’t the younger one be the copycat…wait is the mic still on?”

Laurel flipped the booth off when she rolled by.

“Yep that was totally still on,” Barry laughed.

“I love you girl!” Cisco shouted after her. “Call me!”

Sara chuckled as she completed her lap of the track and settled down on their bench. Once she and Laurel joined the rest of the team Felicity began her final pep talk.

“Okay, we’ve been through a lot to get here. No matter what happens tonight we’re winners...”

“But it would be better to you know actually win,” Thea added.

“Right,” Felicity shook her head, “I thought that was pretty much understood, Speedy.”

Thea shrugged, “I thought you were going all peace and love.”

“Screw peace and love this is the championship!” Felicity slammed a fist into the palm of her left hand.

“Whew go Ms. Smoak!” Laurel laughed.

“We’ve earned our place here. And I know you can do this! So get out there and kick some assassin ass ladies!”

“Hands in,” Sara directed them. “On three.”

“One, two, three…Birds!” The team shouted in unison.

Their chant ended just in time for them to catch the announcement of the final two members of the Assassins on the track. Sara stood and wheeled a little closer to the track.

“Hell on wheels, number seventeen, the Huntress.” Sara rolled her eyes as she watched Helena Bertinelli play up the crowd.

“And finally number sixty-six, the Assassins’ captain and coach, the Demon!” The crowd went crazy. The Demon was definitely one of the more popular players in the league.

Sara smiled as she watched Nyssa Raatko effortlessly glide around the track. That’s my girl. She quickly frowned, she couldn’t think like that tonight. This was war. And besides that Sara wasn’t entirely certain that Nyssa was hers. They’d been hooking up for months now but Nyssa had never said that she wanted anything more than their current arrangement.

  
Sara, however found herself wanting much more. Don’t get it twisted the sex was phenomenal. But Sara actually liked talking to Nyssa, and eating pancakes with Nyssa, and watching old movies with Nyssa. Basically everything was better if it was with Nyssa and she wanted Nyssa to be a hell of a lot more than her bed buddy. But she was scared to ask for it.

Nyssa had come off the track and rolled over to her bench to confer with her team. She caught Sara watching her and winked. The blonde took a deep breath. She had to suck it up and talk to Nyssa eventually. Sara couldn’t go on like this; not knowing if the other woman wanted the same things was making her crazy. She heard Felicity calling her over to talk about the first play. Okay, focus on one more match and then worry about your relationship Canary.

“Here it is the night you’ve all been waiting for. We started the season with eight teams and now here we are with the final two. Last year’s defending champs and the young upstarts hungry for validation. It’s like Rocky but way hotter,” Cisco amped up the crowd.

Sara moved on to the track to take her place on the jammer line. Peek-a-Boo lined up beside her. “You ready Canary?”

“Ready to kick your ass? Oh yeah,” Sara smirked. The other woman was fast. Some people around the track joked that it was almost like the woman could teleport around her opponents. But she also couldn’t take a hit as well as Sara could. They’d really see how quick Peek-a-Boo was when she ran into Katsu and Kendra up ahead.

“Now remember boys and girls the jammer, that’s the girls with the stars on their helmets, scores by passing members of the other team. The pack starts on the first whistle and the jammers go on the second. Once the jammer breaks through the pack they circle around again to score a point for each member of the opposite team they pass. As with any game the team with the most points when all is said and done wins.”

“Say thank you to Professor Allen kids.” Cisco laughed, “Man it’s the championship bout they should know that by now.”

“But what if someone is new?”

“Just sit back and enjoy the mayhem. Yo Agent Mayhem holler at me girl!”

“Pretty sure she’s married dude, to some Special Forces, GI Joe type.”

“Holler in a totally platonic way girl,” Cisco amended.

“One of these days you’re gonna get busted man.” Barry chided him. “Any way, moving on the Ref is up at the starting line. The girls are in their places.” The Ref blew the first whistle. The pack up ahead began skating away. Sara tensed. At the second blast she was off.

“And here we go!” Cisco yelled into the mic.

Sara bobbed and weaved her way through the pack. She twirled around Huntress and went high on the track past Lyla who was in a shoving match with The Wall. She just barely side stepped a lunging Cupid to break out in of the front of the crowd.

“As the first jammer out of the pack the Canary is now the lead jammer and can call off the jam at any point.”

“Again, thank you encyclopedia Barry-tanica!”

Sara pushed herself to skate faster. She wanted to get this match off on the right foot and she knew Peek-a-Boo could close the distance quickly once she cleared the pack. She completed the lap and came up on the back of the pack once again.

Kara and Kendra shoved Cupid and China White to the side creating a lane up the middle for Sara. She quickly shot past them to pick up her first two points. Lyla and The Wall were still trading shoves so Sara swerved to miss them. Unfortunately that left her open for a hip check from Huntress. She rammed into the railing that lined the top of the track.

“Gotta do better than that Canary!” Huntress taunted her as Peek-a-Boo blew past them both.

Sara rolled her eyes and pushed off the rail to catch back up. This match was far from over.

“And with that the Black Canary brings the Birds within three with fifteen minutes left in the second half!” Cisco proclaimed about an hour later. “It seems the Demon has called a time out to confer with her teammates.”

“I’d watch out ladies she may try to sacrifice one of you to the Dark Lord.” Barry added in all seriousness.

“Voldemort?”

Barry made a choking sound, “Dude, it’s He Who Must Not Be Named!”

Sara shook her head at Barry and Cisco’s antics. She picked up her water bottle and took a long drink. She didn’t think she had ever skated this hard in her life. She smiled at Kara as she rolled up beside her.

“We’ve so got this!” The younger blonde said as she opened her own bottle.

“There’s still a ton of time on the clock.”

“So? No other team has been able to hang with the Assassins like we have tonight, all season. I think we’re wearing them down.”

“Your optimism is stunning,” Sin huffed as she too reached for some water.

“It wouldn’t kill you to perk up a bit,” Kara chuckled.

“Yes, yes it would. You see I have a condition. I’m allergic to perk. I smile too much and I break out into hives.”

“Hey Canary,” Felicity called holding out a helmet cover. “You’re up.”

Sara took the cover from her and pulled it on to her helmet as she rolled to the jammer line. She smiled as she saw the Demon waiting there. “Finally worked up the nerve to go against me head to head?”

“I thought it was time to show you how it’s done,” Nyssa smirked.

Sara leaned in close as she skated by, “Well you know I like to watch.”

“That won’t work.”

“It worked just fine the other night.”

Nyssa smirked, “You won’t distract me little bird.”

It was then that Sara got a good look at Nyssa’s uniform. The Assassins wore garments that resembled very short kimonos; they rocked some type of weird ninja theme. The primary color was black but each member had a pattern on the robe in the color and style of their own choosing. For example Huntress’ robe was black with tiny purple arrows. Plastique had a pattern reminiscent of fireworks in a deep blue. Nyssa wore black and red. Usually it was orchids but today Sara noted a flock of tiny red birds made their way across the Demon’s torso.

“What in the world?” She breathed.

Nyssa turned to look at her, “Are you alright?”

“What? I’m fine.”

“You should focus on the track it looks like the Referees are ready to begin again.”

“You just worry about your own focus,” Sara snapped. What was up with the uniform change? Why birds? Well there was one very obvious answer but Sara didn’t want to allow herself to believe it. Of course instead of the best option Sara would allow herself to think about the worst. Maybe Nyssa was trying to mess with her. Had this whole arrangement just been to mess with her?  
Nyssa frowned. Sara noted a flash of something like hurt in her eyes before the other woman fixed her gaze on the track in front of them. Oh crap. Way to go Canary you really put your foot in this one. Before Sara could say anything else the first whistle blew.

Nyssa was off like a shot. Sara took a breath and set off after her. She watched as Nyssa dodged Katsu’s attempt to hip check her and then lost her in the pack. Sara bumped past the Wall and set her sights on the front of the pack. She couldn’t worry about Nyssa right now.

Sara ducked around Golden Glider and surged forward. Nyssa wasn’t that far ahead. If she could just get around Plastique she could catch up. Sara feinted left and when the blocker took the bait she darted to the right. What Sara didn’t know was that her curse picked that moment to kick in. The move put her right in the path of Ravager’s elbow.

The next thing Sara knew Caitlin Snow was leaning over her, “Sara, Sara can you hear me?”

“Yeah,” She rasped out. How did she end up on the ground?

“Can you move your feet for me?”

Sara wiggled her toes and ankles.

“Good. Now follow this light with your eyes.”

Suddenly there was a bright light in her face. Sara tried to follow its movement the best she could but it was hard to focus. Caitlin frowned.

She turned to someone behind her, “I think she may have a slight concussion and her arm looks bad.”

“What’s wrong with my arm?” Sara asked. She looked down to see what looked like Laurel’s hands holding a bloody towel around her left arm. Then she began to feel the throbbing. “Holy shit this hurts,” She groaned.

“I know sweetie help’s coming,” Laurel told her. “Just stay still.”

“No, I can stand up. Let me walk off the track,” Sara asked them.

Laurel looked at Caitlin who nodded. “Okay, she’s not showing any signs of a neck injury.” She turned to someone Sara couldn’t see, “Get her skates off first.”

Sara felt a couple sets of hands loosening and then pulling off her skates. The warehouse had gone quiet but over the ringing in her ears Sara could hear someone yelling.

“That was inexcusable.” Nyssa? Why did Nyssa sound so angry?

“It was a legal play, not my fault she went lower than I thought and got herself clocked in the head,” And that was Rochev. “Glider is the one that fell on her arm.”

“Screw you Rochev. Unlike your bullshit shenanigans that was actually an accident.” Lisa Snart growled at her teammate. Sara lifted her head. She could sort of see China White and Cupid as they rolled up and pulled Lisa away from Rochev.

“Don’t even attempt to lie to me,” Nyssa snapped bringing Sara and everyone else’s attention back to her.

“Let’s get her up,” A guy in a blue uniform shirt, when did he get there, told Laurel and Caitlin.

Sara groaned she wanted to see Nyssa. Let her know she was okay.

“We have to get you to the hospital Sara. It’ll be alright,” Caitlin, thinking the groaning was related to her pain, tried to soothe her.

Sara felt the guy move behind her. “Sit up slowly,” He instructed. “Keep her arm stable.” Laurel kept her grip on Sara’s arm as she slowly eased up. “On three we’re going to help you stand okay?”

“Okay,” Sara said. She could do this. She stood up all the time.

“One, two, three.”

The world swam around her a bit but Sara was able to stay upright. Yeah she was going to need some awesome painkillers really, really soon. “And she’s up folks! Let’s give the Canary a round of applause,” Cisco cheered.

At least now that she was standing she could see Nyssa. She looked pissed. The dark haired woman was currently towering over Rochev who apparently was tired of feigning innocence.

“Oh get over yourself Raatko. If you didn’t have your pathetic little crush on the dumb blond you would be cheering me on for finally knocking her smug ass down a peg,” Rochev sneered.

Nyssa looked over at Sara. Their eyes met and Sara did her best to hold the brunette’s gaze. Nyssa nodded. Then she turned and punched Rochev in the face. She dropped on to the track, knocked out cold. The Refs swarmed Nyssa.

“Not to tell you how to do your job Demon, because you’re hot but terrifying, but you’re supposed to hit the other team,” Barry commented.

Nyssa met Sara’s gaze again and winked. She then turned and skated towards the tunnel. She had been ejected from the game.

Once they got Sara off the track they settled her down on to a stretcher. The fact that they managed to properly stabilize her arm did her a world of good. Or it could be that the paramedic also gave her an injection which dialed down the throbbing in her head and arm quite a bit, “Seriously, I can walk now.”

“Seriously, let the medical professionals decide what you should and shouldn’t do at the moment,” Laurel chided her.

“Okay I’ll be good but you have to go finish the bout.”

“What? No!” Laurel replied.

“Yes, it’s the championship.” Sara squeezed Laurel’s arm with her good hand. “Please finish this for me.”

“Fine but you will text me updates every ten minutes.”

“Yes, mom.”

Caitlin nodded to Laurel, “I’ll help them get her loaded and then come back. Let Felicity know okay?”

Laurel leaned over and kissed Sara’s cheek, “I love you.”

“Love you too, Sis.”

When Sara finally made it to the ambulance Nyssa, now dressed in jeans, the tank top she wore under her uniform, and a leather jacket was waiting inside. “What are you doing?”

“I am escorting you to the hospital,” She replied. She held up a bag, “I collected your things from the locker room.”

“You didn’t have to do that. You don’t have to go with me.”

“Yes, I do.”

“We should get going,” The paramedic commented as he and Caitlin loaded Sara’s stretcher into the back of the ambulance.

“Sara, please let me accompany you,” Nyssa pleaded.

“It would be good to have someone with you,” Caitlin added. “Not sure why she’s offering but if you’re comfortable…”

“I am,” Sara cut her off. “Well not really my arm still hurts like a mother but I am fine with Nyssa coming with me to the hospital.”

“Okay then.” She looked at Nyssa, “You take care of her.”

“I will, I assure you,” Nyssa swore.

Six hours later Nyssa and a slightly wobbly Sara were making their way up the sidewalk towards what Nyssa had been told was the location of the end of the season bash. She hadn’t wanted to come but Sara suggested it would be good to at least pop in for a half an hour or so to show everyone she was okay. “Only a short visit and you will consume no alcohol what so ever. You’re already on painkillers.” Nyssa had finally conceded.

Sara had agreed. Earlier that day she had been hoping to attend this party as the new champ and maybe have the balls to ask Nyssa to dance. She frowned, so much for that. Though maybe they could at least try a slow dance. Also she wanted everyone to sign her cast. Nyssa had already drawn a cartoon devil and its little bird friend on it while they had waited for Sara to be discharged. Sara had smiled when she noticed both figures wore roller skates. Nyssa could be really cute when she let herself relax.

Nyssa stopped a few feet from the door. It took Sara a second to realize it, so she was a couple feet away from the other woman when she turned to see what was going on. “Are you certain you wish to do this? Coming to this party together is practically an announcement.”

“You punched one of your teammates for checking me.” Sara shrugged, “I think we were already outed.”

“It was an illegal move. She could have killed you. As is you had to go to the hospital.”

“Nyssa, I’m fine.”

“The lump on your skull and the cast on your arm would disprove that theory.”

“The thing that hurts the most is my pride. Rochev never should have gotten the drop on me like that.”

“She most certainly should not have.” Nyssa clenched her fist, “I do not approve of such tactics on my team. We are champions because we’re the most skilled not because we play dirty.”

“Just rub it in,” Sara laughed.

Nyssa looked at the ground, “That was not my intent.”

“It’s fine. You guys outplayed us even before my little tumble. And they managed to win without Rochev and you since you got ejected defending my honor.” Felicity had called to give Sara the bad news while she was still waiting for her x-rays.

Nyssa blushed. “I should not have done that. You can fight your own battles. Seeing you lying there made me so…”

“So pissed? Yeah I think everyone got that.”

“So afraid.”

“Oh.” Sara didn’t think Nyssa was afraid of anything. “Hard to imagine you being scared.”

“I was then and truthfully I have been for a time.”

Sara frowned, “This may be the head injury talking but I don’t understand.”

“These past few weeks I’ve been afraid to…” She shook her head, “What I mean to say is…”

“God, this is pathetic.” They heard Helena groan. Sara glanced over her shoulder; there were a couple of shadows in the window next to the door. “Nyssa’s afraid to say she loves her because she thinks Canary just wants to be fuck buddies. She’s been a whiny bitch baby about it for weeks. Do I look like some Lesbian Oprah?”

Sara looked back at Nyssa with wide eyes. The woman was looking skyward as if wishing for a meteor to fall on her and save her from her embarrassment. It was absolutely adorable.

“Wait you knew they were together?” It seemed Felicity was watching them as well. She posed a good question though. Sara didn’t think Nyssa wanted anyone to know about them. She had treated Sara like everyone else around the track. But then again Sara had never asked why. Had she just assumed the worst of the woman?

Helena laughed, “Yeah we all knew about Nyssa nesting with the Canary. You mean you guys didn’t?”

“This is so romantic,” Carrie Cutter sighed dreamily.

“Girl the hell up woman! Tell her and then make out already. This is why I like men, much less processing involved.” Lisa added. Great, so the gang really was all here.

“Are they making out? Someone get the hose I am not watching my little sister do that again,” And there’s Laurel.

“I told you guys Nyssa rode with her to the ER,” Caitlin smugly reminded the group.

“Shove over will ya? I can’t see.” Was that Harley Quinn? Sara groaned. Oh god how many teams showed up for this party? How many of them were watching right now? She glanced back again, there were multiple shadows now.

“Shut up guys, they’ll hear us and stop,” Thea was apparently at the window as well, because of course she would be.

“You shut up.”

“Make me you psycho!”

“Shut up all of you.” Sara barked. “The window is open. We can hear you morons!”

“Felicity!” The women at the window collectively yelled.

“What? I didn’t know it was open. This isn’t even my house.”

“You’re the one that called us over to spy on them,” Helena grumbled.

“Okay everybody back away from the window let’s give them some privacy,” Laurel finally declared. “But seriously if you two aren’t inside in five minutes I am getting the hose. Nobody wants to see that.”

“Hey!”

“Nobody but Cisco wants to see that.”

“I wouldn’t mind either.”

“Fine nobody but Cisco and Quinn. Now everybody move.”

“You’re crabby. No one’s had a reason to turn a hose on you in a while huh?”

“Quinn I swear to god.” The sound of Laurel and Harley arguing tapered off as the pair walked away from the window.

Sara glanced back one more time just to make sure they no longer had an audience. When she was reasonably certain they weren’t being watched she turned her attention back to Nyssa. The brunette looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

Her shoulders slumped. Sara had never seen Nyssa look so small. “I thought you were happy with our arrangement. I didn’t want to risk you not feeling the same and ending everything.”

Sara nodded, that was the very reason she had held her tongue as well. “I don’t want to end anything. It’s the opposite really.”

Nyssa beamed at her.

“So you love me?”

“Desperately.”

“Oh I like that,” Sara smirked. “I like you desperate.”

“Sara,” Nyssa groaned.

She batted her eyelashes at the dark haired woman. “What?” Sara reached out and grabbed Nyssa’s hand pulling her closer.

“You know what.”

“No, I really don’t.”

Nyssa looked to the sky again. “How did I fall in love with such a wicked creature?”

“Maybe because she loves you too?”

“You do?”

“Desperately.”

Nyssa, in deference to Sara’s arm, leaned up on her tiptoes and hunched over to kiss her. Sara lifted her good hand to wind her fingers into the soft fall of Nyssa’s hair. The positioning was awkward to say the least but it was probably the sweetest kiss Sara ever had. “I love you,” Nyssa whispered when they finally separated.

Sara grinned at her. She had won the whole thing after all. “I love you too.”

“Seriously you guys I am getting the hose right now!”

“Turn it on yourself while you’re at it crabby!”


	5. Got Your Name On My Body Like A Tattoo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The name appears on your eighteenth birthday. Swirls and whirls of black ink revealing your soulmate. It’s a big deal for most people, for Sara Lance not so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So when I can't sleep I fall down tumblr rabbit holes like one does. I've seen in more than a few tabs these fics based around soulmates. One concept that pops up a lot is having your soulmate's name mystically appear on one's body. That seems like a fun idea to me and thus another installment of Pilot Season is born!
> 
> (This one's now a longer fic if after reading it you are interested in seeing more of this universe. It's pure fluff though.)

 

 

The name appears on your eighteenth birthday. Swirls and whirls of black ink revealing your soulmate. It’s a big deal for most people, for Sara Lance not so much. She’d watched as her parents despite being branded with each other’s names fought night after night about the utility bill or how late Dinah stayed over at the university or how much longer Quentin was going to put off transferring to a safer desk job. She watched as her older sister lost the boy she loved, and Sara herself had a major crush on, when the name of some girl no one had ever even heard of appeared across Oliver Queen’s wrist. Soulmate didn’t equal happy.

 

Of course three months later Tommy Merlyn appeared across Laurel’s left wrist and after the initial drama, Tommy had been sort of a man whore before Laurel’s name appeared, the two of them seemed pretty damn happy. Sara thought about how she had caught them making out in the driveway a couple of hours ago. Laurel sounded extremely freaking happy and Sara got to be scarred for life as an early birthday present.

 

Anyway, while most people were excited to get the mark, Sara was apprehensive. What if it was someone she knew and hated? What if it was some random she never even meets? That happens to some people. Even worse, some people don’t get names at all, just a series of broken or jumbled letters signifying that their soulmate was already gone from this world. Could that happen to her? Sara had that kind of luck.

 

The burning in her wrist had stopped fifteen minutes ago. Should she look? She should look right? She was just about to take off the bandage she had wrapped around her left wrist this morning when Laurel slipped into her room. “Okay I gave you fifteen minutes to process,” She smiled as she flopped on the bed beside her, “Who is it?”

 

“I haven’t, um, looked yet.”

 

Laurel’s eye’s widened, “What?”

 

“I haven’t looked yet,” Sara repeated, she wouldn’t meet Laurel’s eyes.

 

“Oh Sara,” Laurel sighed and pulled her sister into a side hug. “You can’t go through life assuming the worst all the time.”

 

“It’s not my entire life,” Sara replied. She held up her wrist, “Just this.”

 

“Sara.”

 

“What if there’s no name? What there is but if it’s someone like Fuller? That guy is a complete asshat.”

 

“Fine,” Laurel huffed, reaching for the tape that held the bandage on.

 

Sara jerked her wrist away, “What are you doing?” The names were extremely personal things. You didn’t just grab someone’s arm and take a gander on a whim. Of course Laurel had freaked out so much when she got her mark that Sara was pretty sure the entire neighborhood had known at the time. Her sister wasn’t great with boundaries.

 

“I’ll look first. There will be a name there. It won’t be Fuller. I’ll tell you and you’ll calm the hell down. Then we will have ice cream.” Laurel grabbed her wrist again. Sara let her this time. It actually wasn’t a bad idea. Laurel smiled at her as the tape came off. “It’ll be fine.” She unwound the gauze but kept her thumb down over the last layer. She looked Sara in the eye, “You ready?”

 

“Not really,” Sara groaned, “But go ahead.” She closed her eyes and felt the last bit of gauze fall away. Laurel was quiet. After several minutes it was worryingly so.

 

“Uh Laurel?”

 

She let out a breath, “There’s a name.” She sounded weird when she said it though.

 

“Why are you so quiet then?”

 

“Sara, I love you no matter what okay? So will Mom and Dad.”

 

Sara opened her eyes but didn’t look at her wrist. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

 

“The name, I think it’s a girl.”

 

“Oh,” Sara bowed her head. She hadn’t told anyone she thought she might be bi. Guess fate decided to do it for her.

 

“It’s okay, Sara.”

 

“Really?”

 

Laurel pulled her into another hug. “Yeah, of course it is.” She squeezed Sara tightly. “Who cares if it’s a girl, people can’t argue with fate right?”

 

“Why do you still sound weird?” Sara pulled back. “And why did you say that you think it’s a girl’s name? Shouldn’t you know?”

 

“Um…”

 

Sara finally sucked it up and took a look at her wrist. Her eyes widened. “Why does my soulmate’s name sound like a character from _The Lord of The Rings_?”

 

Seven years later Officer Lance stood waiting for the Arrow on a rooftop overlooking the still rebuilding area of the city known as the Glades. “Took you long enough.”

 

“There was a mugging on 9th,” Oliver replied lowering his hood. “What’s up Sara?”

 

She held out a file she had compiled from copies of reports in her father’s office, “Some guys dressed like ninjas have been spotted around the city. A kid with an iPhone managed to snag a candid.” Oliver flipped open the file. “Look familiar?”

 

“Malcolm Merlyn,” He growled.

 

Sara sighed, “That’s what I thought too.”

 

Oliver shook his head, “Malcolm is dead.”

 

“I know that’s what you told everyone but is there any way…”

 

“I stabbed him in the chest, Sara.” Oliver interrupted her. “I stabbed him in the chest. You don’t just walk away from that.”

 

She knew how chest wounds generally worked. But if Malcolm Merlyn was really gone, “Then who are these guys?”

 

Oliver clenched his fist, “Maybe he had followers.”

 

“The cult of Merlyn?” Sara whistled, “That’s a scary thought.”

 

“Yeah,” Oliver flipped up his hood and turned to leave. “This could be tied to that auction for Merlyn’s remaining tech.”

 

Sara rested her hands on her gear belt, “Merlyn’s guys came back to pick up their boss’ leftovers?” She bit her lower lip, “That could play.” And it was a scary thought. Oliver had stopped Merlyn’s plan for the most part and half the city still got trashed. If that technology fell into even crazier hands, hands that wanted revenge for their boss’ death…

 

“We still have to concentrate on the auction. We can’t let anyone else get their hands on those devices.”

 

“My dad is trying to get some guys on it off the books.” Sara frowned, “It’s not easy going. The brass doesn’t want to listen, and people are running scared. No one wants to lose face because their pension is so much more important that saving a few hundred lives.” Sara loved being a cop but the politics involved at the upper levels made her sick. She looked Oliver up and down. Sometimes you had to go outside the law to get anything done.

 

Oliver nodded, “I’ll have Felicity run a search through the city’s traffic cams see if we can find these guys again.”

 

Sara smiled, “Tell her we’re on for karaoke on Wednesday.” She gestured to the file still in Oliver’s hand, “Well if things don’t go all Ninja Gaiden between now and then.”

 

Oliver returned a rare smile of his own, “She’s looking forward to it.”

 

“You know you can come with right?”

 

He scowled, “I don’t sing.”

 

“But you could pay for our bar tab,” Sara laughed. Oliver jumped off of the roof in reply. Sara smiled, she was pretty sure she’d be drinking for free on Wednesday night.

 

A few nights later, Sara swore that if she got out of this alive she was going to make Oliver buy her an entire distillery. The date for the auction of Malcolm Merlyn’s remaining earthquake device had been moved up. Sara and a few other officers had raided the scene on information from an “anonymous” tipster Sara was sure was named Felicity Smoak. They had expected the Arrow to be there as backup but the man in the hood had yet to show up.

 

Sara ducked back behind a pile of tires as a stream of bullets came her way. Once they stopped she popped out of cover and fired a series of quick shots as she sprinted for another area of the warehouse. She had to drop into a slide the last few feet but managed to cross the building without getting tagged. She had volunteered with two other men to circle to the north side of the warehouse to create a cross fire on the men guarding Merlyn’s device in the middle of the facility. She was the only one who had made it this far however.

 

“Hello,” A voice called from above. Sara looked up to see a man with a gun standing over her. Looked like her luck had just run out.

 

She kicked out with all her might at the man’s left knee. She smirked at the satisfying crunch that came with the contact. The man fell to his other knee. But he managed to bring his gun around and clip Sara on the side of the head with the grip. Before she could recover the guy was on top of her. He tried to bring the gun back around but Sara grabbed his wrist and wrenched it back violently causing him to drop the weapon. He retaliated by punching her in the face with his free hand. He then fell forward and pressed his forearm across her throat.

 

A black leather clad arm came around her attacker’s throat. “Is that anyway to treat a lady?” A voice that would soon feature in several of Sara’s dreams asked. She looked up to see a woman standing behind the kneeling man. Before he could reply she plunged a sword into his chest.

 

Sara’s eyes widened. Had that woman seriously just killed that guy with a sword? Sara laughed. This was crazy. The world had gone freaking crazy.

 

“You should be more mindful of your surroundings,” The woman said with a smirk as she kicked the man’s body aside. She was wearing black leather armor. A matching black hood was covering her hair. Was she one of Merlyn’s ninja friends? The outfit was different but how many people were running around the city dressed like ninjas? There were subtle red highlights on the armor along her shoulders, a mark of rank maybe?

 

“Who are you supposed to be?”

 

“An ally at the moment, Officer.” The woman leaned around their cover and fired an arrow at the group of men still shooting in their general direction from the center of the warehouse. “I would greatly appreciate it if you would be so kind as to use the radio on your belt to notify your colleagues not to shoot any of my men.”

 

Sara sat up and reached for her radio but hesitated.

 

“I assure you that my men and I do not wish Malcolm Merlyn’s device to fall in to the wrong hands any more than you do. Our mission is to see it destroyed.”

 

Now wasn’t the time to look a gift horse in the mouth. Sara brought her radio up. “This is Lance, be advised the ninjas are friendly. I repeat the ninjas are friendlies.”

 

“Are you serious, Sara?” A voice questioned. Sara noticed a slight widening of her savior’s eyes at the sound of her name. She’d wonder about that extra bit of weirdness later.

 

“No, I thought now was a perfect time for jokes. Just don’t shoot anyone with a bow Thompkins,” Sara growled. She then stood up. She was a little dizzy from the blow to the head but it was manageable. She noticed her companion had moved around to the north side of their hiding place and climbed on top of a few of the crates.

 

“What are you doing up there?” She hissed. If Bronze Tiger or his men saw her, “Do you want to get shot?”

 

The woman nodded towards where the shots were originating from. “The container those men are defending? It contains Merlyn’s device?”

 

Sara nodded, “Yeah as far as we know.”

 

“Excellent.” The woman pulled an odd looking arrow from the quiver on her back and held it out to Sara. “This is an incendiary arrow with a five second delay. I am going to fire it and you are going to run for the door.”

 

“But what about you?” Sara didn’t know the woman but she didn’t want her to get hurt either. She had sort of saved her life earlier, which engendered warm, “I don’t want you to get blown up” feelings for the strange woman. If that arrow went boom who knew what else in here would go up with it?

 

“I’ll take care of any survivors and then follow.” Sara must have looked skeptical because she added, “This is what I do Officer Lance. I won’t take any foolish risks.” She licked her lips, “Especially now…”

 

“What is that supposed to mean?”

 

“Do you always ask so many questions?” The woman replied. She strung the arrow and drew back her bow. “Prepare yourself.”

 

Sara shook her head, “Anyone ever tell you that you’re kind of annoying?”

 

The woman’s smile was feral, “You are the first to be brave enough to say it to my face. It’s rather refreshing. Not that I’d encourage the habit in others that way surely leads to madness and exposed bone marrow.”

 

“Okay add crazy to that.”

 

“Indeed,” The woman chuckled. “Move on three. One…”

 

Sara grabbed her radio, “Every one pull back. Incoming. Pull back.” Sara hoped her guys listened.

 

“Two,” The woman smiled one more time at Sara. “Three.” She loosed the arrow and Sara took off like a shot towards the open loading doors. She counted in her head. As soon as she hit five a blast of hot air rushed around her. She leapt across the final few feet and rolled through and then away from the doors.

 

Her ears were ringing as she lay face down on the pavement. She felt gloved hands on her shoulders, “Sara? Sara can you hear me?” She was gingerly rolled onto her back.

 

She looked up at Oliver’s concerned face. “Where the hell were you?”

 

Sara tossed her keys into the bowl she kept near her front door and slunk in to her living room the next evening. God she was tired. She’d spent the remainder of her night after the raid in the ER, meaning she hadn’t gotten any sleep before going back on shift this morning. She reached out and turned on one of her lamps. That’s weird. She was sure she hadn’t left that widow open.

 

“Are you well? You were not injured in the blast were you?” A voice called out from behind her.

 

Sara spun around drawing her gun, “What are you doing here?”

 

The woman from the warehouse stepped into the light. “Do not be alarmed.” She held her hands in the air, “I’m not here to harm you.”

 

Sara didn’t lower the gun. “You forget, I’ve seen what you can do lady. You broke into my home; only an idiot wouldn’t be alarmed right now.”

 

The woman stepped forward and gently placed her hand on Sara’s arm. “You never have anything to fear from me.” She had a pleading look in her eyes, like she wanted to beg Sara to believe her.

 

It went against everything Sara had been trained to do but she lowered her gun. The woman’s words rang true. Now that the initial shock of finding someone in her apartment had passed, she didn’t feel threatened. She placed her gun back in its holster.

 

“Officer S. Lance,” The woman smiled and traced her fingers across Sara’s name tag. “Sara Lance.”

 

Sara nodded, not sure where this was going.

 

“In all my imaginings I never conceived that you’d be so breathtaking.” Before Sara could process that, the woman wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled their bodies together. The next thing Sara knew she was being kissed within an inch of her life.

 

The woman smiled brightly when she finally pulled away from the kiss. Talk about breathtaking. Sara felt dazed. But something about all of this, as weird as it may be, also felt right. She leaned forward for another kiss. The woman kindly obliged her.

 

When they separated long moments later, the woman reached down and pulled Sara’s left arm up and between them. Her fingers caressed the thick, leather cuff Sara wore around her wrist. “I am Nyssa, Daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, Heir to the Demon.” She brought Sara’s hand up to her lips and brushed a kiss against the leather.

 

Sara’s eyes widened. She knew those words. They had been inked into her skin for years. Nyssa. She was real. She was here. She brushed her fingers across Nyssa’s jaw in wonder.

 

There was a knock at the door. “Sara?” Her father’s voice called. “Sara, are you home?”

 

“Just a second,” She croaked. Nyssa stepped away from her. The movement left Sara cold. “Wait.”

 

Nyssa smiled at Sara sadly, “Another time, Beloved.” She turned and leapt out the open window.

 

Nyssa, Daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, Heir to the Demon… Sara pulled the leather cuff from her wrist. There it was, stark black lines spelled it out against the pale flesh of her arm: Nyssa, Daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, Heir to the Demon.

 

Nyssa was real and she was gorgeous and judging by those kisses totally in to her. Sara fought not to do a happy dance. Another knock echoed through her apartment. She turned to go open the door for her dad.

 

Her dad. Sara stumbled in the entryway. Nyssa was real…and some type of ninja assassin her dad would probably order her to arrest on sight. “Oh crap.”

 

 

 


End file.
